Strathaven Forest
by Cate Masen
Summary: Bella is a lonely writer struggling with life. Edward is a vampire that wants to give her a reason to keep going. Over time, they might conquer her fears, become closer, and discover a new life together.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

**This is my first fanfiction story. I'm looking for a beta reader, so please forgive the mistakes. If you know anyone who is interested, let me know. Thanks.**

I sat near her window, waiting and watching. Bella was almost in a deep sleep, and that was the best time to enter her room. She was clueless about how stealth I was. Every night, I used that to my advantage. Thank God breathing wasn't necessary, but the scent of her blood was strong. That was what drew me to her in the first place.

Bella hadn't turned over in several minutes; it was time for me to make my entrance. Her hand was resting under the pillow. There was a steady up and down movement of her chest. The strap of her shirt fell down exposing her skin. This was the tenth night I'd stayed in her room; she never ceased to intrigue me.

For the past month, I'd followed her around Forks while learning every detail possible about Bella. She moved recently from Seattle, was single but lonely. All of her relatives were dead, and her closest friend moved to Colorado. Life had become stressful for the aspiring writer. She fought off the loneliness with a string of empty dates. None of the would be suitors appealed to her old fashioned tastes. Nights were long as she put pen to paper. Inspiration wasn't coming to Bella until she made the choice to move to a smaller town.

She enjoyed the walks into the woods, especially in the morning. I stayed in the background as I studied her. Or should I say stalk her? Her fucking blood was driving me insane. I had to walk away sometimes to keep from attacking her. Yet I kept coming back for more.

Welcome to the world of Edward Cullen, vampire obsessed.

Yeah, that would be perfect to put on a business card, but who the hell would I give them to?

I thought about this as I eyed her sleeping form. Why was I so interested in this woman? I'd told myself to get over it but that plan wasn't working. Now here I stood, only feet away from Bella. My first impulse was to selfishly take whatever I wanted. She had no living relatives, and her career wasn't taking off as she wanted. For a time, I thought death would be welcomed. One quick flick of my wrist and all of her problems would be solved.

Then one night as I was plotting, I found a chapter she'd worked on during the day. The paper was smeared with ink and water – tears perhaps? Bella had written about the death of a character. In the margin, there was a writer's note.

_This is how I plan to end it all. 10/24._

The subtle irony of it all is that, while I was thinking about killing her, she was also thinking about suicide. That was when I decided to keep her alive at all costs. If she needed a reason to go on, then I was determined to find one. I began copying her chapters, setting them aside for the future. Her writing was good enough, but the story drew me in for some reason. Bella was writing about a wealthy woman who had everything, yet her cheating husband walked out on their marriage Sure she wasn't writing about anything that other people hadn't written before. That wasn't important. After the fifth chapter, I finally knew what it was that held my attention. She'd managed to pack significant emotions into the characters, which in turn brought them out of me. The pain of the wife came across the pages easily. Her husband's narcissism made me angry. I wanted to hit something or someone when he told her that she was a 'lousy lay compared to the woman I fuck now.'

Now I had to change my plans. Bella could be a great author if only she had encouragement. If it wasn't me, then I'd find the right person. Maybe I was going soft, but this was necessary. I sat across from her in the frayed chair. Through the night, Bella made few if any noises, and, before her alarm went off, I silently left the room. It was enough for now.

Around lunchtime, she left the house and went to the local diner. I slipped out of the car when she walked inside. Our eyes met as she looked up from the menu to the door. Neither one of us stopped until I was standing near the booth.

"Is this seat taken?" I asked as she pulled her glass over.

"No, not at all. I assume you want to sit down?"

"Yeah. I'm not too hungry, but I'd like some company, if that's okay with you."

She smiled slightly as a waitress came to take her order. I only asked for a glass of water. We made our introductions, but I kept the conversation focused on her. She was a guarded girl, keeping some of herself hidden. Yet I could respect that because wasn't I really doing the same thing? My dry wit took her by surprise as I responded to her comments. Bella became more relaxed as she ate, and, eventually, she told me about the chapters. It also surprised her when I said that I wanted to read them.

"What if it's shit?" She told me after thinking about my offer. "You don't know if I can string together a sentence, much less write a story. I don't want to waste your time."

"Bella, believe me when I say that you will not waste my time." The tone of my voice was serious as I made my point.

"Here," she began while digging out some paper from a bag. "This…this is the first chapter, but I have to warn you. No one has read any of this besides me. If you find yourself laughing, don't be surprised. I scanned the first chapters as I had several times before. Her gaze was on mine, and when I looked up, I gave her a genuine smile.

"If you must know, I want to read more. You can improve on the writing skills, but…damn…you have to give me more."

She said nothing out loud, but her mind was busy. At once, her mouth opened, but she closed it before speaking.

"All I want to hear is yes," I told her after a quiet time. Maybe I was taking advantage of her vulnerability, but, like I said earlier, Bella needed someone in her corner.

"I need some time to get the chapters together, but why are you this interested in my story?"

"Call me crazy, but, like any good story, I've got to know what happens. I might just be your first fan."

She laughed at my statement and shook her head. "If you are, then thank you. I'll get the rest of the chapters together. You have to know that I'm nervous, but if you're that persistent, then why not? That's a trait I like in a person."

"Then we should get along just fine."

We made plans to meet tomorrow back at the diner. I let her take control of the situation for now. So long as I could make her feel at ease, then we could become closer.

** Tell me if I need to keep going or not.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

**Thanks for the encouragement. I hope this chapter delivers.**

For the next week, Bella and I met for lunch at the diner. She became more at ease during this time, but, inevitably, she wanted to know more about me. I hated this part because I had to deliberately lie about my life. I highly doubt telling her that I was a vampire was the best choice. Somehow, I imagined Bella would run for the hills if she was aware of my lifestyle. Better to keep that to myself.

Instead, I told her that I was a musician, which wasn't that much of a lie. During my many years on this planet, I'd learned how to play the guitar and piano. Her eyes widened when she learned about my skills.

"I'd love to hear you play sometime," she told me as I set down another chapter. "That is if you feel up to sharing."

"Since you let me read your story, why wouldn't I want to play for y

"Well, I wasn't sure about…us…are we friends?"

"Bella, we've been meeting for lunch for several days. I considered you a friend after the first day. Is that how you see me?"

She twisted her mouth before looking at me. "I'd for us to be friends. It's just that I've been alone so long that I'm not used to someone taking an interest in me."

"I guess that you have to get used to my presence," I told her. "I was serious when I offered to play for you. What are you doing in a few hours? If you want, I can bring my guitar to your place, but if that makes you uncomfortable, then forget it."

I watched as she stood up and pulled her hair out from inside her jacket.

"Normally, I would hesitate about inviting anyone into my home, but I'm taking a chance, Edward."

"I'm not about to let you regret it."

Bella gave me directions to her house and programmed her phone number in mine. I took all of this as a sign that her trust was growing. That was essential.

I arrived at her door later. Signs of fatigue were present now more than earlier. Dark circles were under her eyes, and her posture was slumped. God, did she ever need sleep. Immediately, she apologized for the condition of her home, but I told her I wasn't there to see the house. She laughed at my words as we sat on the couch together.

"Why is it that I've never seen you eat anything at the diner?"

"I eat at odd hours, mostly at night. Please tell me that you didn't make dinner."

She shook her head no. "I had something before you came, but if you change your mind, tell me."

I took the guitar out of the case while she studied me. Her eyes were on my fingers as I strummed the instrument. It was different playing outside of my home, but from the smile on her face, this made her happy. For the first time, her happiness was important; there was a shift in the way I felt about Bella. I enjoyed the way the lines crinkled around her eyes. Perhaps this was due to how sad she appeared most days. I hadn't seen this side yet.

She asked me to play another song, but, as I started, a look of sadness came across her face. After setting aside my guitar, I asked if she needed for me to leave.

"Please, no. I want you to stay and forgive me. While you were playing, random memories ran through my head. You know those things you want to forget but somehow come back."

Her arms were wrapped around her legs. The guarded girl returned.

"Would you hate me if I said I can't talk about it?"

"I'm not in the position to tell you to confess your darkest secret, Bella. Everybody has one, but, until you're comfortable, it's not the best time to divulge it." I leaned closer hoping that my concern would show and she relaxed slightly.

"If I haven't told you, I'm glad you came over tonight," she said. "Edward, you make me feel at ease, and I want to do the same for you."

"Yeah, don't worry about that. I'm content sitting here on the couch with you."

I stayed till it was obvious she was about to fall asleep. After saying our goodnights, I drove away only to return to sit near her window. Bella was pulling the sheets up over her body, but it seemed she was restless. For about an hour she tossed and turns until sleep took over. When I was certain she was asleep, I went through the window. Crumpled papers were scattered over her desk. I unfolded one to see if she was working on a new chapter. Her words stunned me.

_Edward is my friend, the only one I've made in Forks. But there's a problem – he's the kind of man I could easily fall for. Why does he have to hang on my every word? I learned that he plays the guitar and the piano…damn it! This is not what I need in my life right now. He can be my friend, and that's where I have to stop. I'll tell myself that's more than enough. _

I glanced back and forth between her sleeping form and the piece of paper. I'd never given any consideration to the feelings she had towards me. But here it was in black and white. It was strange to imagine that she would _fall for me._ We liked each other's company and shared common interests. There was no doubt that her happiness was important to me, especially after tonight. Our friendship was all that we needed, though, and she was right. Certain boundaries should never be crossed.

Why would a human want to fall in love with a vampire? That's absurd.

While Bella dreamed, I copied another chapter. She was trying hard to improve her skills. A book on that subject sat on the desk corner. From the side view, I saw where page corners were turned down. She was determined to be better. Almost as determined as I was to make her believe in her ability. Once I was through writing. I sat back to watch Bella. Her head was turned to the right. The light of the moon fell across it.

She was attractive, and if I was a human man, we might have formed an intimate bond. There were too many factors against us, though, and I dismissed the possibility. If I could resist the temptation to drink her blood, I sure as hell could resist romantic inclinations. Her writing was more important. At dawn I made a fast escape. Later I sent a text message wishing her a good day, and that she could call me any time. She told me that the offer for dinner was still available.

I left Forks only long enough to find something to eat. I'd gone too many days without blood, but I never thought rescuing Bella would be involved in the process.

**Sorry to leave you with a cliffie. **


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3 **

**Thanks for reading and I own nothing. **

I followed a hunter into the forest that afternoon. He never knew what hit him when I broke his neck. Killing and draining a human should not require much effort. Most of the time, the person doesn't put up much of a fight; the strength in my hands easily overpowers them. When I was finished and disposed of the body, I couldn't miss two familiar scents, but this was confusing.

First, I could smell Bella's blood; it was unmistakable. Secondly, there was the scent of a wolf nearby. They were close to each other, possibly too close, and as I ran in their direction, she let out a scream. I found her crouching on the ground away from the animal. One of his feet was caught in a metal trap, but he kept lunging at her. Even though he was injured, he moved closer to her when she moved.

I lunged towards him without hesitation. Unlike the hunter, the wolf was obviously more of a challenge, but I ripped his jaw off in the blink of an eye. Soon he was dead with his limbs scattered across the forest floor. Now my concern was Bella, who fainted near a tree. Her breathing was uneven.

"I'll answer your questions soon," I said while lifting her into my arms. Anxiety, uncertainty, and dread filled me. How the hell was I going to explain what occurred? This was not going to turn out well for either of us, but at least I was getting her to the cabin, my "home" more or less. Bella wasn't the only one who liked Strathaven Forest.

For the past decade, I'd chosen to live deep in the forest away from humanity. It provided me the solitude I needed. She would be the first human that set foot in my place. When we entered and I set her on the sofa, Bella groaned. My clothes were covered in blood and I needed a shower. Any needs I had were secondary, though. After checking her pulse, she began waking up, and I waited for the questions to begin.

What happened?

Where am I?

I answered them as honestly as I could, but from the look on her face, Bella was disoriented.

"I understand that you brought me here, but where's the wolf? And why aren't you hurt Edward? There's so much blood on your clothes. Can you tell me what's going on?"

"I'll tell you everything, but this requires a…leap of faith to say the least. The reason I'm not injured is because I can't be physically hurt."

Her eyebrows furred. "What do you mean?"

"Bella, I'm different. You can choose to believe this or not, but I am a vampire."

She took a long look at me and then laughed hard till her face was nearly red. I sat back as she got up and walked over to a window. After turning to look at me, she started laughing again, but I wasn't joining her. The room became quiet after she stopped.

"This has to be one of the weirdest things anyone has said to me. How exactly is it possible for you to a blood thirsty creature? That's the kind of character you only find in literature, not in real life."

"Do you want to know how I became one? I doubt that'll be enough to convince you."

"No…it's that I'm not sure about…about…"

I got up off the furniture and walked behind her. "Tell me what is making you feel uncertain? If I wanted to drain you, I would have done that by now. Think about the past week, Bella. Think about the fact that I've been alone with you in your home. Until I carried you here, I'd never touched you before. What does that tell you?"

She turned to face me, and, for the first time, I got a very good look at her endless brown eyes. While I'd noticed them before, this was different because I saw the beauty in them. There was a urge to touch her cheek, but I thought better of it.

"You tell me all of this, but how do you expect me to react? The only good friend I've made in months recently confessed that he's a vampire. It's hard for me to wrap my head my head around this turn of events."

"But it doesn't change the way I feel about you and about us. I want our relationship to continue. Tell me what I need to do now please."

She uncrossed her arms and rubbed her mouth.

"Yeah, you have a point about how we've been around each other, and you've never hurt me. I had no reason not to trust you, Edward." She let out a heavy breath.

"Does this mean you want us to continue as we were?" If she wanted me out of her world, I would have to abide by that.

"As strange as this may sound, I believe your presence is important in my life. So yes…please stay." There was a small smile on her face. We talked for a while longer. Bella was in the woods trying to quiet her mind before attempting to write. Time got away as she went deeper into Strathaven, and since it was getting late, she had to be hungry. I asked for a few minutes to shower and change my clothes. She was half asleep on the couch when I returned.

After assuring me that there was plenty to eat at her house, I drove there. She didn't want me to make dinner, but I wasn't taking no for an answer. Instead I covered her with a blanket as she lay on the sofa. To be honest, Bella needed to get some sleep, but she would wake up soon from hunger. After making a bowl of pasta and bringing it into the other room, I sat down on the table across from her. This time I didn't resist the compulsion to touch her cheek. It was soft, warm, and I was taken back at how good it felt under my fingers. Between this sensation and the way she looked at me earlier, Bella could be my undoing, but I wouldn't allow it.

She deserved a man who wasn't a threat to her and the rest of society. And, in her very words, our friendship was enough. That was the most I could realistically hope for given who I was; silently I cursed myself. This was a predicament that was taking over my existence. I walked back and forth between the rooms waiting for her to wake up. Later on in the night, she lifted her head and asked why I hadn't left.

"It's because I needed to know that you were fine, Bella. There is something for you to eat, but it's cold. Do you want me to warm it up?"

"No, I'm good, not really hungry now. It might be best for me to go to bed now."

She got up too fast and I caught her. "Are you going to make a habit out of saving me?" she mumbled while pushing her hair out of face.

"Only when necessary," I responded before taking a glance in her eyes.

Bella was no longer the guarded girl from whom I could emotionally distance myself. She had become the axis upon which my world turned.

**Did you like this chapter? **


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

**I'm sorry about the break. Real life needed attention. I own nothing.**

As I watched over Bella, several questions lingered; they would have to wait for the morning. It stunned me that she accepted who I was without asking for proof. Any other human would demand it. She trusted me more than I thought possible, which baffled me.

When the sunlight came across her face, she turned over, and blinked a few times before focusing her eyes on me.

"You're still here? Why didn't you leave?"

"You aren't the only one with an inquiring mind, Bella," I told her before sitting on her bed. "Why didn't you need proof that I'm a vampire?"

"I knew that was coming, and I need you to take a leap of faith. About a year ago, my best friend that lives in Colorado, Jane, called me. She has these…visions, if you will, and she had one about my future. The only reason I have any faith in them is because they've all been true."

She took a pause while I thought about her words.

"Jane doesn't get them very often, maybe a few times a year. This time, she assured me that a serious natured man would come into my life, but he wouldn't conform to human standards. The only physical trait she mentioned was long fingers." Bella took my hand in hers and traced the skin. "She also said for me to open my mind to the impossible."

I chose my words carefully before speaking.

"You decided to accept me based on something your friend confessed to you? Is it really that simple?"

Bella sat up and pulled her hair out of her face. "Edward, my life was empty before I came to Forks. The fact that you allowed me to open up showed that you genuinely cared. Yes, it really can be that simple."

"But why were you alone in the woods? Why didn't you leave when you saw the wolf? This is puzzling."

Instantly, she got out of bed to walk over to her desk.

"I needed to get inside my character's head. She's in a dark place, contemplating the meaning of her life. So it was necessary for me to feel some of her confusion, and taking a solitary walk was my solution. In hindsight, that might not have been the best option."

"No, it was a dangerous one. What would have happened to you if I hadn't been close by?"

She began grabbing papers and piling them into stacks. I had the distinct feeling she was avoiding me.

"I'm waiting to know the answer."

Her body stiffened before she dropped the papers. Bella was keeping something hidden. Her hands covered her face, and I heard the sound of muffled cries. When she turned around, I took her into my arms.

"If you need to know the damn truth," she choked out, "I'm stuck and the only way out is running away. If you hadn't come into my life, I might be dead by now. The wolf…I felt sorry for him, but I was too frightened to do anything."

I ran my fingers through her thick hair while she let out her emotions. It hurt to know that I made her this upset, but it was bound to come out. She mumbled about being a broken woman: that was all I could take.

"Bella Swan, look at me!" I said directly as I took her face in my hands. "You. Are. Not. Broken. I refuse to accept that lie. This is a rough time, but you don't have to be alone or run away. If you leave, though, I'm leaving with you. Do you have any idea how important you've become? How essential you are for me to be at peace?"

Had I really said _those _words out loud? The effect was immediate. Her smile, the one that I had to see, was back. It gave me a sense of relief.

"I never imagined that you would share my sentiments and feelings. Jane as right when she said I needed to open my mind to the impossible."

She gave me a tight hug as her words echoed through my head.

_The impossible._

It described the situation we were smack in the middle of rather well. If I had an ounce of common sense, I'd ignore the fact that Bella fit nicely next to me. But being able to do that was difficult.

"Are you scared of hurting me?" She asked after a few quiet moments.

"I care about you too much to take that chance. If anything I'd hurt myself before causing you any harm."

She smiled and told me she needed a few minutes to shower and dress. I excused myself to wait in the living room and was left to question what was to become of our relationship. It would be best for us to remain as friends, yet the tide was turning. I meant every single word – without her, I'd have a desolate life.

It's funny how just a short time ago, I was contemplating her death; now Bella had to be with me.

To say that we had a shift in our boundaries was an understatement.

"Edward?" I looked up to see her walking towards me in a skirt and sweater. Her choice of apparel was surprising.

"You look lovely, more than lovely. Is this a special occasion?"

"Now that you mention it, yes it a special day," she announced while walking into the kitchen. "I came to a resolution that my life is valuable. While you played a significant role in changing my mind, the final decision was up to me."

"Thank you more than words could say," I told her as I stood in the doorway. "Let me take you out to eat."

She set down the plate. "I'd love that."

"And I promise we're not going to the diner." I said to her as I took her hand. She asked when I had changed my clothes after we hit the road.

"I keep a stash of jeans and shirts in the trunk. Since I live among humans, it's a good idea to wear something else if there is blood on my collar."

Bella laughed at my joke. That sound could grow on me easily. "You're an intense man – I like that quality in a person," she told me before we arrived at the restaurant.

"Thanks. No one has described me in that manner before. You enchant me, Bella. I have to be honest."

Once again, words slipped from my mouth that I wasn't supposed to say. Where the hell was my filter? She placed her hand over mine.

Warmth.

Softness.

Gentleness.

"Edward, I'm speechless, but touched. Our friendship is one of the brightest spots in my world. I'm forever grateful that we have each other."

She brought me back to the reality of our relationship. We were two friends, human and vampire. Nothing more, nothing less. If that was all she truly wanted, then I had to respect her wishes. It would have to be sufficient, even if I wasn't sure that was what she wanted.

At this point, I wasn't certain about what I wanted other than for her to be happy and safe.

**Thanks for reading.**


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